1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a unique package having two components, a first component is an outer shell or sleeve with foldable flaps, and a second component is a tray configured with ridges designed to lockingly engage free ends of the sleeve flaps, thereby locking the package in a closed state and preventing the tray from easily being removed from the outer sleeve.
2. Description of Related Art
It is common practice for industrial parts manufacturers, medical device, pharmaceutical, food industry, and other such companies to use various containers or packages to package articles, products and food stuff intended to be sold or delivered to consumers. Typically, such packages are of a simple and relatively inexpensive construction, but which include an obstacle to opening the package that deters or prevents theft. Attempts have been made to provide a package that contains sufficient impediments to deter theft of the contents without rendering the articles or products contained therein inaccessible. However, the mechanism serving as the obstacle to opening the package typically has a complicated design, which has increased the expense of production without providing a corresponding improvement in deterring theft.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,761,010 to Rosenburg, Jr. (hereinafter Rosenburg) discloses a safety carton having a tray 10 that slides into a sleeve 20. A bottom wall panel 26 of the sleeve has an opening 30 defined between abutment pieces 32, 33. When assembled, the sleeve 20 has a first, larger aperture 31 defined therein overlapping a second, smaller aperture 30 defined therein. As shown in FIG. 4 of Rosenburg, a lower surface of the tray 10 is received within the first aperture 31 defined in the sleeve 20 such that the edges of the tray 10 are engaged by the edges of the abutment pieces 32, 33 and prevent the tray 10 from being withdrawn from the sleeve 20.
As shown in FIG. 5 of Rosenburg, to disengage or unlock the tray 10 from the abutment edges 32, 33 of the sleeve 20, a consumer bends one of the abutment pieces 32 or 33 as well as overlapping panel 22 downward while pushing the tray 10 upward through the openings 30, 31. The edge of the tray 10 is disengaged from the edge of the piece 32 or 33, thereby permitting the tray 10 be slidingly removed from the sleeve 20. The locking mechanism for the Rosenburg carton is limited to a single side, or bottom, and is therefore susceptible to being compromised by small children without much effort.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,093 to Carmichael et al. (hereinafter Carmichael) disclose a package 10 having a sleeve 14 defined by open top and bottom ends. As shown in FIG. 6 of Carmichael, retaining flaps 24 abut or engage a lid 30 of a lowermost package 12c at an underneath position. An edge of the flaps 24 engages a downwardly facing edge 37 of the lid flange 30 and the corner 38 of the package 12c wall 32. As such, the edges of the flaps 24 engaging the flange 36 prevent the lowermost package 12c from falling out of the open bottom end of the sleeve 14. While the flaps 24 prevent the package 12c from being removed from the bottom of the package 10, a simple retainer 26 formed by overlapping flaps 46a, 46b defines a closed upper end 22. Simply pushing packages 12a-12c upward would appear to rupture the retainer 26 and provide access thereto.
In yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,890 to Mahler discloses jacket 10, 10′ for holding or storing a compact disc therein that has an interior space 14 in which a tray 60 is inserted. End flaps 34, 38 and 45, 45 are folded into the space 14 along fold lines 36, 40. When the tray 60 is withdrawn from the sleeve 10, 10′, the edges 48, 52 of the flaps 34, 38 and 45, 45 engage the rims 68, 74 of the tray 60, providing access to the contents of the tray 60 while preventing the tray 60 from being completely pulled out of the sleeve 10, 10′.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,296 to Trauschke discloses a sleeve 10 open at both ends 18 with a window provided in a side wall to provide a view to the products contained in the sleeve 10. Flaring right and left lips 20 and 22 are folded into an interior space of the sleeve 10 to permit packages to be loaded into the sleeve 10. The inner edges of the lips 20, 22 catch on the packages being withdrawn, and act as a latch to prevent the removal of the packages from the sleeve 10. The lips 20, 22 are readily compressed to release the enclosed package therefrom.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,881 to Dutscher discloses a display carton having a plastic tray A that is inserted into a paperboard sleeve B. As shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5 of Dutscher, the tray A has side walls 11 and end walls 12 with flanges provided at their lowermost edge. Abutments 32 of the side panels 24, 24 engage flared lower ends 13, 13 of the walls 11 and 12 to lock the tray A in the sleeve B.
In a further example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,734 to Meyers discloses a package having a cover 2 that has tray engaging side flaps 9 and end flaps 10. The cover 2 has openings 3, 3 defined in an upper surface. A flange 14 of the tray 11 engages the edges of the flaps 9, 10, thereby preventing the tray 11 from being removed from the cover 2.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,680 to Hiemstra discloses an open ended sleeve 1 with flaps 6 bent into the interior space of the sleeve 1 from both ends of the sleeve. The edges of the flaps 6 engage flanges 3 of blister packs 4 inserted into the sleeve 1, thereby preventing the blister packs 4 from falling out of the sleeve 1.